Cristiano Ronaldo Announces Portuguese National Team Retirement

By Adedapo Adesanya

One of football’s great, Cristiano Ronaldo, has announced his retirement from the Portuguese national football team after the November international break, bringing an end to his illustrious 23-year international career.

The 41-year-old forward made the announcement in a social media post on Thursday, November 5, saying he was ready to hand over Portugal’s famous No. 7 shirt to the next generation.

“Today, the time has come to pass it on to the future. It was not an easy decision,” he said in the statement.

Ronaldo made 234 appearances for Portugal, scoring 146 goals to become the highest-scoring player and most-capped footballer in men’s international football history.

He surpassed Iran’s Ali Daei’s previous international scoring record in 2021 and later became the first male player to reach 200 international appearances.

His international career began in 2003 when he made his senior debut at the age of 18. Over the years, he became Portugal’s captain and a central figure in the country’s success on the international stage.

One of the biggest achievements of his international career was leading Portugal to its first major international trophy at the 2016 European Championship in France. He also helped the country win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.

His retirement announcement follows a period of tension with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus. In September, Ronaldo left the national team’s camp ahead of a Nations League fixture after being left out of the starting line-up against Norway.

The forward subsequently accused the coach of breaking an agreement over his playing time. He later apologised to his teammates and Portuguese supporters, while accepting responsibility for leaving the camp.

The Portuguese Football Federation subsequently handed him a 30-day suspension and a €255 fine.

Portugal are scheduled to face Denmark on November 14 before travelling to Wales on November 17 in their Nations League fixtures.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has also represented Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, and currently plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

His departure from international football will bring to a close one of the most decorated careers in the history of the Portuguese national team.